2 Women Dancing, ceramic wall sculpture 12"w x 17" h, by Tammy Vitale

Here is the 2nd in what may be a long series of Women Dancing.   3 Women Dancing  attracted so much attention, and sold so quickly, that the format begged to be duplicated.  So I am working on another series of wall hangings with abstracted women dancing.  And it was a lark!  The first piece wasn’t even women until they sort of presented themselves after I had cut out what I thought were abstract shapes.  It was as if they spoke and said:  hey!  look!  we are joyful women here – pay attention!  let us dance!

This is how totems were born.  Extra pieces of tile tests laying around in lovely colors sorted themselves into a column which I mounted on wood and hung in ArtOMatic 2004.  Again – what a reaction.  What I considered a joke everyone else was taking as serious art and asking about!  And  totems have been selling like hotcakes every since.  That doesn’t even take into consideration that nothing is wasted anymore!  I’ve even raided my discard piles in the yard for interesting pieces (I keep them in the garden.  They look pretty there).  Here’s a new one:  Totem:  Autumn Promise, 24" tall.

This gives me a great deal of hope.  Here we toil, plotting and planning and worrying and scurrying, and the best things just throw themselves at our feet and pant to be noticed.  And we don’t have to toil or plot or plan or worry or scurry.  They come to us.  (see the lilies in the field….).  And we get to pay attention or not. 

Sunsets happen even when we don’t notice.  Grace falls down on us and we brush it off annoyed that our clothes have all this sparkling stuff on them when we’re trying so hard to be serious and accomplish something here.

Outside my window all I can see are trees and green leaves and the sun behind a cloud (or it would be straight in my eyes this time of year).  Off to the side is what’s left of last winter’s woodpile and between me and it is a 3 frame collection of photos of my grandson – 2 with cracks because I knocked it over.  And it’s very quiet.  This is abundance.  And I am grateful for it.

thought for the day:  When you look at life and its many challenges as a test, or series of test, you being to see each issue you face as an opportunity to grow, a chance to roll with the punches.  whether you’re being bombarded with problems, responsibilities, even insurmountable hurdles, when looked at as a test, you always have a chance to succeed, in the sense of rising above that which is challenging you.  If, on the other hand, you see each new issue you face as a serious battle that must be won in order to survive, you’re probably in for a very rock journey.  the only time you’re likely to be happy is when everything is working out just right.  And we all know how often that happens.

Life is a test.  It is only a test.  Had this been a real life you would have been instructed where to go and what to do.  Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all small stuff.